The story of a girl and a monster
by MissRumbelle
Summary: This is the story of Belle and Rumplestiltskin, which is placed one week after the "Robin broke in the Dark Castle" scene from the show. At a time, when their relation began to change.


**Chapter 1 – The West Wing**

Belle was sitting in her bedroom after spending most of her day cleaning the giant library in Rumplestiltskin's castle. The library was an awesome place, but to clean it, to undust every book, really was no piece of cake. But despite, she was thankfully about Rumplestiltskin had shown her this room and that she was allowed to enter there whenever she wants. Well, at least at times he don't want her to do something else. Actually she started to think that this man maybe did have a heart. That he wasn't that monster he wanted everyone to believe.  
Belle lay on the bed and smiled as she thought about her changing relationship with him.  
After a while she began to fall asleep and suddenly her head was full of many different images. Images of her father and the life she used to have, her betrothed Gaston and images of the same man who made her a slave.  
"Rumple…", she mumbled in her sleep, as she continued to dream of him. Of his big eyes, which were watching hers. Of his creepy voice, which wanted to tell her something...

Rumplestiltskin walked upstairs, headed to Belle's bedroom. In front of the door he suddenly hestitated. It has one week left, since that thief burgled him and steal his magic wand. Since they haunted the thief through the forest, found him and…  
The arrow didn't hit the target, the thief's heart. Of course it was not the arrow's guilt. It was his own.  
Why he even thought about it? If Belle really believed in a good side inside of him? Pshaw! That was absurd. He is the Dark One. There is nothing bright inside. Still... he don't wanted Belle to think he's a heartless beast. Even if he was.  
Rumple dropped his gaze, down to the battered book in his hands. He often had watched Belle cleaning the library, off and on sweeping her fingers on that book. But she never opened it. Probably because she thought it would be forbidden to her touching his stuff except to clean it.  
Again Rumple lifted his hand to knock the door. But then… Nah, he wouldn't knock on his own door, wouldn't he?  
"Belle!", so he shouted for her, let his voice sounding more cruel as he wanted. No answer. "Are you... awake?"  
Rumplestiltskin hid the book behind his back, in case that Belle would leave the room without warning.

Belle woke with a start as she heard Rumple shouting from outside the door.  
For a moment she was just sitting there, still the images of her dream before her eyes. Did she really dreamed of _him_? The man who forced her to come to this castle and become a servant. Who ripped her out of her family? Of her home? But otherwise… she was the one, who had accepted to stay with him… forever. Forever really was a long time.

Rumplestiltskin still was waiting in front of the door, getting impatient. He was sure to have heard a noise inside. So why didn't she answered to him? If his voice has just woke her up? Well, so what! She was his servant! She has to be awake, when _he _is. Breakfast didn't serve itself.  
Like Rumplestiltskin had to shake off his thoughts he wagged his head, before again his look raised up to the door... waiting. What the hell took so long to open the door?

Belle suddenly realized that there has been too much time passed since Rumplestiltskin shouted from outside the door.  
"Yes, I'm awake.", she responded nervously. But she had to clear up her mind, before opening the door. Had to banish the disconcerting images of Rumple's apperance in her dream. As it could help out, she heavily shook her head, before she stood up from the bed and quickly put her dress on.  
Belle wondered what he could want from her that early. A shocked look outside the window let her answer her own question. How long did she slept? Rumplestiltskin was already angry for sure!  
She shook her head another time and headed to the door to open it.  
"Good morning, Rumple.", she mumbled, trying to hide her embarrassment. "What do you want?"  
Belle bit her lip right the moment after she said that words. She just wanted to act as normal as she could after realizing the fact she had dreamed of this man. But this has been a wrong sentence for sure. Would he be angry with her again?

As Rumplestiltskin already had made a bugged face, suddenly the door opened and Belle was standing in front of him.  
What… he… wants…? Rumplestiltskin's fingers stroke the book behind his back.  
"I...", he began a little awkwardly. But then composed himself. Remind himself that she was the one, who overslept and therefore hasn't got the right to ask in a way, like he would have interfered her beauty rest.  
"I wanted to know why there even is no breakfast below, dearie!", he so ended up the sentence, raising up his voice to a high-pitched tone.  
At the same time he enunciated, he felt riled about himself, still hiding the book behind. Of course _that_ was not the reason for his visit...

Belle sighed and looked at him disenchanted. Maybe he was right, but there was always a nicer way to say, wasn't it? Quickly she had forgotten about her dream and that their relation could have changed.  
"Maybe because I'm not up yet.", Belle said in a sarcastic tone, though she let her words follow a sincere smile. Her smile seemed to keep him from getting angry about her backtalk. Aside from that Belle could tell that Rumplestiltskin was nervous. She had no idea why, but she still believed in something good inside of him. If she was wrong, her comment would have offended him, wouldn't it?  
Belle looked around the corridor and then back to Rumplestiltskin.  
"I'll make it now." she said, as she turned to head downstairs to the kitchen to make this man his breakfast.

Rumplestiltskin tried to keep up the cruel face, but Belle's smile let the corner of his mouth raise a bit. How she always did that with him? No, he had to keep up appearance!  
Rumplestiltskin gave Belle a little nod, paired with a stern look, as he followed her down the stairs.

Belle saw the stern look in Rumplestiltskin's face, but decided to ignore it and instead walked past him to form the front. While they took the stairs, Belle had a short look back at him and out of the corner of her eyes she noticed that he had his hands behind his back. Was he hiding something? Belle's curiousity awakened.  
"What's that?", she lastly couldn't resist on asking about it, when they reached the kitchen and she turned around to him. With a curious expression on her face she waited for his answer. Could that be the reason he seemed to be a little nervous? Or did she just imagine that he was?

Rumplestiltskin made a caught face, as he heard her question, pointing at his hidden hands.  
"That is...", he began, again a little awkwardly. "Well, nothing special..."  
The battered book came out from behind his back.  
"Actually just a boring book I found in the library.", he added in a trivial way. Of course he knew that Belle payed attention to this book for a while. But would he admit that? Would he admit himself, that this was like making her a present? Of course not!

Belle was watching him, while he got out the hidden object. The fact that he was nervous again, made her think that she was right about him. That there was a nice guy, behind his mask.  
"Can I have a look on it?", she asked curiously, when she saw the cover of the battered book. Was that…?

Rumplestiltskin watched her wordless for a moment. He liked the way Belle smiled at him. He liked the.. what?! Rumple wondered about his own thoughts, and then decided to ignore them.  
"It is yours.", he said to her as subsidiary as he could. "...if you want it."  
With the same minor matter he tried to fill his words, he handed out the book to Belle. Inwardly he wondered if she would recognize it or if Rumple maybe erred about her interesting in it.

Belle's lips raised to a delighted smiled, as she received the book from Rumple.  
"For me? Really?" Belle said, looking at it.  
Of course she recognized it. She have seen it in the library, sorely tempted to open it. Actually she couldn't say why she never did. Was she afraid of getting punished by Rumple, when she took a pause from cleaning and read in books? Or was it because the book looked so old, that she had feared to damage it. There was at least a good reason to fear something like that, as she really was all thumbs.  
"I was interested in this one.", she said, gently touching over the binding. "Oh, I mean, I just saw it while cleaning. I've never read it. You know I wouldn't.", she added quickly, apologizing raised her eyes up to Rumplestiltskin.

Rumplestiltskin looked at her with an amused smile. He knew that she never did. But letting her in that fear, pleased him. So he said nothing.

Belle took another look at the book and smiled. She was right, there was something good about this man.  
"Thank you.", she whispered, before she turned around towards the door and entering the kitchen.

Rumplestiltskin was glad he was right and that Belle liked his gift, but this got way too much smily in his rooms. So he couldn't resist to give her a little shock, while she was going to prepare their breakfast.  
"Oh and Belle!", he shouted after her, as she headed to the fridge, while he placed himself in the chair at the top of the long table. "Please use the meat from the second shelf... it tastes better when the children were young."

Belle held her breath, when she heard Rumple's words from behind. She didn't look back at him, instead stood hestitating in front of the fridge. She hoped he wasn't serious, she really hoped. With a little shake of her head, she awakened from her stiffness and opened the fridge. Swallowing Belle looked at the meat on the second shelf, took it out and put it on the table to carve it up for breakfast. While she was preparing the breakfast, her lips raised to a little smirk. Of course he wasn't serious. He just wanted to shock her again, like he did once before.

Rumplestiltskin had watched her amused, as she stagnated for a moment. Obviously a bit too conspicuous he had looked out for her expression when she began to carve the meat for breakfast.  
If he should tell her? Nah, not yet. Maybe she has been here for too long with him, as she would be taken in by his jokes anyway.  
Rumplestiltskin wordless watched Belle carving the meat and frying it together with a pair of eggs. He suddenly had to remember the first breakfast Belle had served him. Back in those days he began to believe it was a fault to bring her here. But from time to time she has become better in the housekeeper job. And nowadays the breakfast almost had at least a flavor.

Belle sat down across from Rumple and began to eat the food she had made for both of them, as she looked up at him with a smile.

Wordless Rumplestiltskin too began to eat the breakfast she had served, as he suddenly felt observed.  
"What is it, dearie?", he asked, raising his head just a little at her direction. He didn't know if he should respond her smile or not. He decided for doing not.

Belle didn't realize that she was still staring at him. On his question she shook herself back into reality.  
"Sorry. Nothing.", she answered sheepishly, looking around the kitchen before looking back at Rumplestiltskin and then back down at her plate.  
Why did she stare at him that way? Again the dream came up into her mind and her face was getting a little red. She hoped he wouldn't realize.

"I see...", Rumplestiltskin mumbled back in her direction, let his eyes wander back down at his plate too. An irritating situation…  
Rumplestiltskin abandoned his thoughts and instead started watching at Belle for his part now. He suddenly stopped eating and put his fingertips together, kept watching her with an implied smile on his lips.  
There was something he wanted to know in awhile. Something he maybe never was going to ask, if there wouldn't be that upcoming feeling about her. A feeling he wasn't able to admit yet, even not to himself.  
"Let me ask you a question, Belle.", he suddenly raised his voice. "From your life before... _this._"  
Rumple pointed shortly round them. "What is it, you do miss the most?"  
A pause.  
"Is it… your fiance?"  
A little jiggle of his head accompanied the pronunciation of the word _fiance_.  
Actually Rumple wasn't sure himself why he suddenly asked her something like that, even though his eyes fixed her with an expectant look.

Belle sighed, as she heard his question.  
"No, trust me, I don't miss my fiance.", she answered with a chary smile.

Again Rumplestiltskin didn't know why, but he couldn't stop himself to show a satisfied smile, when he heard her saying that about her fiance.  
"Is that so?", he just whispered, kept watching her interested.

Belle wasn't sure what his smile could suppose to mean, but she liked the way he did. She haven't seen it often on his face. To be honest, to see such a smile on the Dark One's face was countable on one hand. And again she felt vindicated about this man was changing.  
"Honestly, it was an arranged marriage. My dad's idea.", she lastly continued.  
On her last words her face expression changed. She again looked down at the plate in front of her. To mention her dad brought back the sad feeling about that she had thrown off her former life. About that she will never see him again. But that was a low price looking at what Rumplestiltskin had done for them, wasn't it? Above all her father was safe.

Belle's sudden sadness didn't escape from Rumplestiltskin's eyes. His view was getting more serious, too.  
_No. Do not tell me it is your dad you miss the most._, Rumple thought with a pensive face. That desire he couldn't accomplish. He don't wanted to. She was _his_ now. Part of their deal.

"My dad I miss". Belle looked at Rumple again, trying to hide her sadness. So she gave him a chary smile again.

He knew it. Rumple's lips curled scornfully regardless, as he heard her words. Intently he thought about something, not even noticed Belle was watching him.  
"There is...", he started, undecided if he really should continue. "...a possibility."

Belle looked up curious by what Rumplestiltskin said.  
"There is?", she inquired promptly.

Belle wasn't sure whether she should trust him or not, but something inside her told her that she could. What could he have meant by _possibility_? Possibility to see his dad? But that would mean she had to leave the castle. He never would allow that, wouldn't he? At least not for a reason like that.  
Her heart was beating fast, while she waited for him to explain.

Rumplestiltskin should not have told her about. It was too risky... in more than one way. But he just couldn't see her sad. Wasn't that strange? She was his unfree servant, carried away from everything she had in her life. _No_, Rumple said to himself. It was _her_ decision to go with him. To consent the deal. The fact that Belle of course had no other choice, he disregarded.  
"There is.", Rumple finally confirmed with a little nod. "Follow me..."  
His face expression now was serious, thoughtfully. Not his usual creepy mirth. Wordless he stood up from his seat and headed to the door. Rumplestiltskin did not look back to make sure she followed, like she was told. Her hurried steps told him anyway. While walking towards the corridor, he did not say another word.

Belle was smiling as Rumplestiltskin did told her about this and watched him wordless as he began to leave the room. Quickly she stood up as he told her to follow him. She wasn't sure where he was taking her, but she decided to trust him. She anyway made this decision long since.  
Belle continued to follow, not without nearly pulling the chair over. As the two of them walked in silence, she tried to figure out where Rumple could lead her to. But she really had no idea.

Rumplestiltskin and Belle walked in silence, passed some corridors, as they finally reached a long circular staircase.  
Even now Rumple wasn't sure if that really has been a good idea. Leading her to the tower. The place, where he was kept lots of things, Belle actually shouldn't see. No one but him should.  
Rumplestiltskin noticed her sudden hestitation. Without any doubt she was wondering why he took her here. To the place he always forbade to her.  
_Well dearie, I will take you out of the dungeon. You are allowed to move about freely, EXCEPT the tower in the West Wing..._, he remembered his own words some month ago.  
In silence he was wondering if Belle ever tried to neglect these rule.  
With just a little smile in the corner of his mouth he lastly said: "Go ahead, dearie." and pointed at the door at the end of the staircase.

Belle was curious about what was in there as he told her never to come here. She had a twisted feeling about this, when Rumplestiltskin told her to go ahead. Of course she was curious about what would be in the room at the top of the tower. But on the other hand she feared it could be something like a test. Otherwise… when will she ever get the opportunity to see the tower in the West Wing? To see the things he was hiding there. Belle decided to embrace it.  
"Alright." she said with a nod, walking past Rumplestiltskin and entered the room.

The inside of the room was looking like an old bedroom, unsure why it was there and also why Rumplestiltskin brought her here. Belle stood there and looked around as she waited for Rumplestiltskin to explain his reasoning for bringing her here.  
There was a bed in one corner of the room, coated with dust and spider webs. It seemed to be a bedroom once, but she had no idea for what this room was using nowadays. A huge shelf with lots of strange looking stuff catched her eye.

Rumplestiltskin wordless watched Belle, as she entered the towerroom, looking around. She was the first person who ever got these room to see. So much secrets, so much things have something to do with his huge plan. The plan to get united again with his son. Bae.  
For a little moment his face became serious again, as he had to thought about him.  
"I will... allow to see him.", he finally said to Belle, still unsure. With a stricter voice he added: "But he won't be able to see _you_. So you can't speak to him, got me, dearie?"  
With a little nod he walked through the abandoned looking room, heading to a small round table at the window. There was no light in this room, since the only window here was blanketed behind dark drapes.  
"Here.", Rumple shortly said, holding out an adorned hand mirror to her. He avoided to have a look on it himself.

Belle's eyes followed Rumplestiltskin's steps, as he walked to another part of the room, still wondering why she was here. She just nodded as Rumple gave her instructions, watched him walking over and got something from the table to turn back with it. Belle was wondering what it could be. Was that… a mirror? It was.  
Belle gave him an irritated look as he handed her the mirror. Still wasn't sure what to do with it, she decided to have a look into it. She saw herself, staring in a mirror. With a quizzical face she looked back at Rumple. "What…"

"Tell it what you want to see.", Rumplestiltskin interrupted her question and gently touched the mirror's back to get it nearer to Belle. For his part he walked some steps back, out of the range of the mirror.

Telling… it? Belle made a doubtfully face, but did like she was told.  
"I… I want to see my dad.", she hestitating spoke to the mirror in her hands.  
Suddenly the mirror began to glow and her own face within disappeared in a bright shining. Spellbounded she gazed at it with narrow eyes, as the shining was vanishing and the reflection showed a different face.  
"Dad!", she shouted out, recognizing her father's face. It changed a lot, since she decided to go with Rumplestiltskin in exchange for her family's safety. Lines of worry were shown on it.  
Belle suddenly remembered Rumplestiltskin's preceding words. _But he won't be able to see you. So you can't speak to him, got me, dearie?  
_She watched the sorrowful face of her father. She couldn't speak to him. And he couldn't see her. But at least she was able to see _him_. To see him safe. There has never been a guarantee, that the Dark One would keep his word. But now there was.  
A smile appeared on Belle's lips, while she was looking into the mirror.

Rumplestiltskin watched Belle from the corner of his eyes, when she looked into the mirror. Smiling. Her smile seemed to be different from the usual one. Something in it didn't pleased him though. Or was it just the feeling about her biggest wish was seeing her dad again? But of course it was. Rumple knew that. He ripped her out of her family. After all she had no other choice than accept the deal.  
But he loved making deals. Ripping out stuff. Why there was a different feeling about this one?  
After a while Rumplestiltskin suddenly took the mirror out of Belle's hands.  
"This is enough, dearie.", he said with a voice, hiding little anger in it, as he clapped the mirror down the table. Not just that he didn't like the way Belle was watching his father. In addition he was sure the Evil Queen could use also _this_ mirror to observe him.  
Rumple's eyes turned around to the window, having a thoughtfully view out of his castle. The Evil Queen… he had to knock the competitiveness out of her mind. One day she has to implement the curse. The curse to… his thoughts were wandering away. Far away, back to his son.  
This moment he didn't pay attention to what Belle was doing.

Belle had jumped as Rumple took back the mirror and placed it on the table. Despite, she wanted to thank him, but wasn't sure if it was the right moment for. He seemed to be deep in thoughts and she really don't wanted him to bother. And aside from that, this was her chance to have a look at the stuff in this room, wasn't it?  
Belle quietly walked around as Rumple's back was turned. She took a closer look at the furniture in this room.  
A special object catched her eye. A glowing rose within a glass case. Belle wondered what this could suppose to be? One more time she checked to make sure Rumple's back was still turned and walked over to the rose, knelted down there and looked at it. It was so beautiful. Why would the Dark One own something like this?  
Belle carefully began to lift the case off of the rose to get a really close look at it.

In his thoughts Rumplestiltskin did almost forget about Belle. Didn't realize she was about to nose around in the forbidden room. There were lots of reasons it was forbidden. But there was one really important...  
With one fast move Rumple turned around, as he heard the sound of a lifted case. He didn't used his magic that moment, but it seemed he did only need one second to reach Belle.  
"Hands off this!", he shouted at her, full of anger. And right before she knew it, the case with the glowing rose inside was in his hands. Rumple's eyes fixed the rose inside, like he has to check it wasn't damaged.

Belle had jumped back as Rumplestiltskin shouted, acknowledging that he had spotted her. Something inside her has told her that this rose was important. That Rumple would getting angry if he realized she was examining it. But she was so curious about it too.  
"I'm sorry. I… I really am." Belle stumbled, looking at him as he made the case fly into his hands. She often saw him angry, but never this way.  
She couldn't imagine what was so important about this rose, but, it seemed quite special to Rumplestiltskin. It must have had something to do with the person who once stayed in this room, they must have had a strong connection with him. But that was only an assumption.  
Belle stepped back and cautiously smiled at Rumplestiltskin. "Is everything ok, Rumple?", she carefully asked.  
She was pretty sure she knew the answer to this, but wanted to keep the conversation going, hoping to distract Rumple from the rose. From her noosing around.

He heard Belle's quit apologize, while embracing the case like it would be a precious treasure.  
It has been a mistake to brought her here. He knew it...  
Rumplestiltskin turned his face around at Belle, still watching her with anger.  
"Is it actually clear to you what you could have caused?", he shouted again, not thinking about what his words actually cause...  
curiosity.

"Actually no. I don't, but, I can tell from your expression that it's probably bad."  
Belle wasn't sure if that was a good thing to say, but, at least it was an honest answer. But it seemed she woken the beast that she had just gotten past. Belle tried an innocent smile as she looked at Rumple.

Rumplestiltskin angrily heard her saying this.  
Just as he wanted to shout at her again, to throw her out of the tower, Belle had that innocently smile on her face. Rumple's view was getting unsure.  
"You...", he suddenly stumbled a bit, averting his gaze.  
"You better go now...", lastly the words came out, while he was replacing the case with the glowing rose inside.  
Rumple didn't pay attention to Belle any longer. It seemed there was a sudden change on his face, as his fingers slowly touched over the closed case.  
A petal was laying on it's ground. The first wilted petal...

Belle just nodded and slowly turned around to leave the tower. She turned back to look at Rumple again as he took his hands over the case.  
"I'm sorry.", she whispered.  
Going to made her way out of the tower room, she took one last look at Rumplestiltskin and the rose, before leaving the tower and walk down the stairs.

Rumplestiltskin still was angry about Belle did nose around. But... there was another feeling too. When he heard her apology again, he suddenly felt bad. Bad about shouting at her, though she didn't know the meaning of her doing.  
Wordless Rumple turned away from the case, watching out of the window. Of course it wasn't Belle's guilt that there was a petal on it's ground. It was because of the prophecy was getting closer. The prophecy of his undoing.  
Rumple still turned the back on Belle, as he heard her footsteps fading away. He wordless let her go.  
This really went not like he had anticipated...


End file.
